2010-2011 Knight Essay Program Guidelines

Sponsored by the Northeastern Ohio Chapter #12 SAR

The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2010-2011.

This contest is open to all students who are United States citizens or legal aliens. Contestants shall be attending public, parochial, or private high schools (including accredited home schools). Contestants shall be in the sophomore, junior or senior grade of study during the contest year. The contest is conducted in three phases: local (Chapter), state (State Society) and National. The contest must be entered through a Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution near the student's residence. Only one entry per student is permitted per contest year. The first place National winner is prohibited from participating in following years' contests.

1.        The topic must relate to a person, event, ideal, or philosophy associated with the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. 

2.        Students must use at least five (5) references with at least three (3) being printed references.  Encyclopedia and electronic references are acceptable as source material. See Point #2 below.

3.        The essay must have a minimum of 800 words and cannot exceed 1000 words excluding the required title page, footnotes, bibliography and biography. One or two letter words such as I, to, and we are not counted.

Numerical dates shall be counted as one word. ( Four double spaced typed

pages should put your contestant‘s essay within the approved word count)

4.        The essay shall have four parts: a) title page, b) essay, c) bibliography, and d) a one-page contestant biography.   (The top of the title page should have the student’s name, address, social security number, & telephone number, and the school’s name, address, & telephone number. The title should be in the center of page)

5.        Essays can utilize any recognized standard documentation system.

6.        Competition will include local, state, and national levels.

7.        AWARDS:

a.   National Society - First place: $2,000; a winning recognition certificate and medal; and airfare, and one night hotel for the winner and a chaperone at the  NSSAR 120th Annual Congress (in Cleveland, Ohio in June 2010)   Publication of essay in the SAR Magazine and on the NSAR Web Page
Second Place: $1,000, and a recognition certificate Third Place: $500, and a recognition certificate

b.   Ohio State Society - First Place: $300, a recognition certificate. Second Place: $200, and a recognition certificate Third Place: $100, and a recognition certificate

c.   NEO Chapter #12 – First Place: $100.00. Second Place: $50.00. Third Place: $25.00.

8.        Refer any questions to Compatriot  Jim Gilbert jgilbert7@windstream.net  440-224-0252

Additional Points:

 Point # 1     The contest is for an original researched and proven topic written in English.

 Point # 2     Students must source at least five (5) references with the minimum of three being published book sources to allow for verification of sources if necessary.  References from Encyclopedias or Internet sites will be accepted, but are not considered as part of the three published book sources. If there are no book sources (i.e. all are from encyclopedias or internet sources) the essay will be disqualified.

 Point # 3      The First page of the Essay must include the title of the essay. (No contestant information must appear on these pages as they are separated and distributed to the judges for grading to prevent possible grading bias.) 

Other Information:

Late October – October November 2010

 · Students will need to research topic and develop a rough draft (800 –1000 words)

December 2010

· Revise the essay … how can the contestants make it better

January 15^th, 2011

· Completed essay submission deadline.

January 23rd 2011

                        `     · Local Chapter judging,

February 1, 2011

· Winning Chapter essays sent to State Chairman

March 2011

                                · Ohio Society’s winning entry sent to National Chairman for judging

           April – May 2011

· National Judging

June 2011

· Results announced at National Congress